The latest RNZ Pacific news and sport.

In part two, a proposal to turn a marina carpark into a tower twice the heigh of anything else in downtown Auckland has hit a brick wall. A local CBD resident says the 23 story tower would cast a long shadow with the very real possibility of blocking harbour views and sunlight. Then, Wanaka resident Jaimee Whiston has been named hairdresser of the year in the New Zealand category of the Australian Hair Fashion Awards.

Tonight, on The Panel, Wallace Chapman is joined by panellists Jenni Giblin and Mike Williams. First up, according to a leaked TAB report the horse racing industry needs further tax breaks to survive. Victoria University of Wellington's tax specialist Lisa Marriott says the industry has a legacy of tax concessions Then, the Moa Point sewage disaster has played havoc on local businesses. The Panel hears from Steve Walters, General Manager of Destination KRL, who represents businesses in Kilbirnie, Rongotai and Lyall Bay.

United Kingdom correspondent Diane To spoke to Melissa Chan-Green about how the UK government has said it might ban pro-Palestinian demonstrations as a move to tackle antisemitism and how a new report is sparking dystopian fears with facial recognition. She also spoke about King Charles' royal visit to Bermuda.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

The Wellington Phoenix women have returned home ahead of their biggest week so far in the A-League. On Sunday, they lost the first leg of the semi-finals to Brisbane Roar in Queensland and need to turn it around for game two at Porirua Park this Sunday. Sports reporter Felicity Reid spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

A New Zealand microbiologist says the death of three people from a rare virus while on a cruise ship is concerning. The passengers died after what is thought to be an outbreak of hantavirus on a ship that's anchored off the coast of west Africa. Another passenger, a 69 year-old British man, is also in intensive care and the company operating the cruise ship says it's confirmed he has the virus. Microbiologist Siouxsie Wiles spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

People in the settlement of Clarkville north of Christchurch are worried someone could be seriously hurt or killed by gravel trucks pounding their narrow residential roads. Gravel is being extracted from the Waimakariri River in preparation for the new $1 billion Woodend Bypass motorway. When locals heard that extraction work, which began in summer, was set to resume again today, they blocked the road. Anna Sargent reports.

A court has heard a man was drunk, annoyed and motivated by anger towards police before he drove into two Nelson officers, killing one and seriously injuring another. 33-year-old Hayden Tasker is on trial for the murder of senior sergeant Lyn Fleming in the early hours of New Year's Day last year, at the High Court at Christchurch. The Crown argues Mr Tasker had murderous intent, while his defence said the tragedy was a result of an attempt to take his own life. Reporter Samantha Gee spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

All the top stories and other headlines from the day